A student wrote: “Ray of Sunshine, thank you for everything

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you did you were an exceptional person that never

gave up on us. Starfish was always great because that’s what

you made of it. You inspired all of us to do our best and help

out. You were a great friend and always looked out for all of

us, now you can do that from heaven, we’ll miss you!”

That was just one of the many messages that were written

on boards that were created for Dan Bates at a memorial of

remembrance that was held on February 19th, at the Castro

Park at 7 p.m. There were over 250 students, friends, and

faculty that held up candles while shedding tears and consoling

each other because of the tragic event that hit the Bulldog

family.

Faculty and friends talked about the many good deeds

Bates did during his time at DHS. He was the president for

the Starfish Club at DHS for the past 3 years and they had

done numerous things to help the needy in both Douglas and

Agua Prieta, especially during the holdiays. Students were

asked if they wanted to come up to the microphone to say

some things about Bates. Many students were too emotional

to go up and speak in front of everyone, however there

were a couple of students that found the strength to go up and

talk about the way they remember Bates and the impact he

had on their lives.

Bernice Ramos was one of the students that went up to say

some words about the special man that was DHS’s athletic

director. Ramos said, “I didn’t only lose an administrator,

but I also lost a good friend. Mr. Bates was always there to

listen to me when I was having problems. He also encouraged

me to do things that I didn’t think I could do The

Starfish trips will never be the same without Mr. Bates. I’ll

miss him very much.”

Another student that graduated in 2008, Lillian Chavez,

also went up in front of the people to talk about the man she

and others would call “dad.” Chavez stated, “Mr. Bates

would call us his daughters. Sometimes he would scold us

but that was because he cared for us. I have one very fond

memory of him and that was when it was going to be my

prom. My family was going through financial difficulty and

we could not buy the dress that I wanted. Mr. Bates bought

me the dress that year and I was able to go to prom, I will

never forget his act of kindness. It’s ok for his to rest now�-”

Many students were torn and in distress during the ceremony,

but one DHS alum, Tavo Cruz, 08’stated, “Many people

have asked what will happened to the DHS club Starfish,

well I would like to let them know that it will continue because

that is what Mr. Bates would have wanted.”